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The Renaissance Out West: The Other Side of Trax

Apr 19th 2012

The Wasatch Front Regional Council outlined a need for transit improvements out west back in the mid 1990s, so it was a 15 year process for the TRAX light rail system to come online in West Valley City in 2011. UTA received the funding for the project in November 2006, when Salt Lake County voters approved a sales tax referendum to fund transportation projects, but a West Valley City line wasn’t expected until 2030.

“The plan was accelerated by almost 20 years because of the voters,” says Gerry Carpenter, senior media relations specialist for UTA. “Even then, it opened four years early.” Opening day ridership fell just below the projected amount of 3,300, but UTA chalks it up to an early opening as the line wasn’t slated to start running until 2015.

Joining UTA’s other contribution to West Valley transit is MAX—Utah’s first bus line with a dedicated lane, from Magna to the 3300 South TRAX station in Millcreek.

We rode all the way to the West Valley Central TRAX station to see how the new line is working for westsiders. Here’s what they said:

“I take it to work every day. It’s more convenient and easier on the pocketbook.”—Anthony Evans

“We ride it to come see our aunt out here. We like it more than the buses. It’s more comfortable, and stops at every stop.”—Daryl Soto with Lesly Leyva

“I ride it pretty much every day. I like the fact that the TRAX will bring me all the way out here.”—Christian Allred

“I don’t ride TRAX very often, because I’m not very familiar with it. But I like that UTA is expanding; it takes me where I need to go.”—Barbara Bills